


Mistletoe

by thacmis



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Art, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, First Kiss, Fluff, Humor, Illustrations, M/M, Mistletoe, Smitten Erik, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-16
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-02-11 21:14:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12944064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thacmis/pseuds/thacmis
Summary: Charles Xavier is feeling rather harassed from last-minute holiday shopping when he bumps, quite literally and dramatically, into Erik Lehnsherr, the attractive young intern at his company.He invites him to the company's Christmas Party dinner, and surprising things happen.





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WaxRhapsodic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/gifts).



For a man who had few friends and a nonexistent relationship with his family, Charles had an awful lot of Christmas shopping to do.

No, not an _awful_ lot, thought Charles with a sigh, as he spied a mother pushing two carts overflowing with merchandise while wrestling with two screaming children. He reached out with his telepathy and laid a soft blanket of calm over the children's minds. The girls immediately quieted down, and the mother, looking more harassed than ever, ushered them over to the next aisle.

Charles looked back at his own shopping list. It only consisted of ten items, mostly for Raven and Hank and their darling little Kurt, and a few for some colleagues for an upcoming company Christmas party. He'd actually had plenty of time in November and earlier in December to get these gifts, but he'd pushed it all to the last minute in favour of work. Though ten may be a comparatively small number of Christmas gifts one usually needed to buy during this season, it felt like hundreds at this moment, at four o'clock on December 24th.

And Charles had only crossed one item off the list. A little picture book for Kurt.

He still needed to buy a watch, a coffeemaker, a dish set, two sweaters, a specific stuff crocodile toy, three boxes of chocolate…

"The mall will be closing in one hour," blared the PA system.

Charles felt like an artery was going to burst.

One thing at a time, Charles thought to himself, as he attempted to calm down while nearly tripping over himself to find a store that sold what he needed to buy. Charles had only lived in the area for a couple of months, and he'd never been to this mall. As all unfamiliar buildings go, the mall seemed labyrinthine, and so many of the shops seemed to only sell trinkets and furniture and unfashionable clothing.

 _Wham_!

Charles slammed face-first into a solid, warm wall of wool that smelled like sandalwood and cologne. There was a grunt, a tussle with too many legs, and then the world turned upside down.

When he came to his senses again, Charles found himself lying face-first in the same warm wall of wool. Groggily, he lifted his head up, and met the most gorgeous pair of sea-green eyes he'd ever seen.

"Uh," he said eloquently. Then blushed scarlet.

For lying right under him was Erik Lehnsherr, the intern at his company.

The man was a couple of years older than Charles - twenty-three - and he'd started near the end of the summer. While Charles was a full-time employee (as a prodigy, he'd earned a Masters when he was seventeen), _Charles_ had only started at the company two months ago. Newbies though they both were, they rarely had chances to talk, being in different departments, though they frequently bypassed one another.

Charles had taken what Raven termed a "long distance fancy" to the man. However, Charles was under no illusions that the man reciprocated; they barely _talked_ after all, despite how frequently Charles may have sought to do so.

"Hello," Charles managed, feeling so warm he was certain his blush was going to be tattooed into his skin.

Erik grunts. Charles saw with relief that he had an amused quirk in his brows. "In a hurry?" said the handsome man.

"More or less," Charles managed. "Last minute holiday shopping, and all that."

"I see," Erik said, still looking amused. "Then, not that I mind, are you sure you want to keep lying down here on me?"

"Oh!" Charles exclaimed, feeling his blush deepen. He scrambled up and apologized profusely, mortified that he'd been so mesmerized by those eyes that he'd just… stayed on Erik's body like that. He cleared his throat several times and brushed off imaginary dust. "I'm so, so terribly sorry. It's been quite a hectic week, I haven't…"

"Hey," Erik said suddenly, placing a light hand on his shoulder. Charles quietened instantly, all his energy suddenly invested in trying not to lean into the warm touch. "Look, it's ok. I understand." He stooped, and began picking up the packages that he'd dropped during the fall.

Charles hurriedly helped as well, and then noticed that there were way too many packages for someone who didn’t celebrate Christmas. He puzzled. "You're Jewish, aren't you? But you…?" he gestured to the packages.

"Oh. I'm a personal shopper," he said.

"Eh?"

"Personal shopper, for the mall. Internship isn't paying enough, and the mall was hiring winter holiday personal shoppers, so I signed up."

"Oh." Charles stacked a few boxes and hefted them up with both arms. They were quite heavy and he wondered how Erik had managed to do it all alone before. "How do you like it?"

Erik shrugged. "As far as retail jobs go, it's not that bad. I'm just given a list, buy everything on it, and hand it all to my supervisor. I never have to directly deal with the customers. Thanks," he said, holding out one free hand to take the boxes from Charles.

"This is quite a lot," said Charles. "I can walk with you for a bit if you like? Perhaps until I manage to find the right store…" Charles had ulterior motives, but Erik didn't have to know that.

Erik blinked, as though coming to a realization. "Hey. I could help you with your list, if you want? My shift ends in ten minutes, this is my last round. I just need to hand these in to the front desk, and then I can help you shop."

Charles tried not to look too excited. "Are you certain? But this is outside of your work hours… I don't want to impose…"

Erik chuckled, and began to walk. Charles trotted dutifully after him. "I have to get some shopping done too. Besides, I know the mall inside out by now, and you look like you need some help."

Charles flushed again. "This may be my first visit to the mall."

"Then it'll be a grand tour. Come on."

***

Erik revealed himself to be quite a delightful conversation partner, able to speak at length about subjects that ranged from the philosophical to the political, despite the taciturn mien he usually wore like armour at work.

The reason for that, Charles soon discovered, was Erik's minimal ability to tolerate many of the social norms of the workplace. He considered them bordering on stupidity.

"I don't mix the personal with the professional," Erik said, feeling about for cracks and chips on the dish set Charles wanted to buy.

"You can make friends at work, Erik. We aren't secret agents," Charles tried to persuade him.

But Erik would not have it. "I don't take risks. Work friends can be dangerous." He handed Charles the set of China dishes he finally approved of. "And small-talk. It's inane! One of most idiotic inventions of the human society. We both know neither of us care about what the weather is like. It's just an excuse to emit sounds because they're too cowardly to bear silence."

"What on earth-" Charles exclaimed, torn between admonishing the man and laughing at him for such a comically cynical worldview. "It's how people make friends!"

But Erik would not be moved. "I prefer a knife to the ribs," Erik countered, all serious. He turned to go to the chocolates aisle.

Charles frowned deeply as he scampered to keep up - the man had truly long legs - while thinking back to their very physical meeting half an hour ago, and wondering if Erik wasn't just jesting.

"You're quite a character, Erik," Charles mused. He looked happily at all the packages he was holding. He'd gotten most of what he needed to buy, with time to spare! Erik was truly a miracle.

Erik snorted.

"It would be wonderful to see you at work more often," Charles said bravely. "Will you be going to the Christmas Party?"

Erik twisted his lips. He looked at Charles, who experienced a lovely pang in his chest at finding himself the object of those blue eyes' attention. There was uncertainty in them. "I wasn't going to, but…"

"You'll go?" Charles requested hopefully.

Erik's eyes softened, and his cheeks coloured a little bit. "Sure. I'll see you there."

Charles floated on clouds for the rest of the day.

***

Charles scanned the crowds for a tall, handsome man with gorgeous cerulean eyes (never let it be said that Charles wasn't a hardcore romantic), feeling eager but also a little bit stupid for investing so much of his evening's happiness on the presence of one person he was barely friends with.

"You're not being very subtle, you know," Raven muttered. "It's great to know how much you enjoy my company."

Charles sputtered. "Don't be ridiculous."

"A piece of advice you could certainly do with."

Charles harrumphed and didn't deign to answer. He continued scanning the crowds, but did try to be less obvious about it. Raven rolled her eyes and left.

A small poke to his side startled him into spilling his drink. He bit back a curse as he whirled around to confront the offending poker, only to gape and feel his mood soar when he saw who it was.

"Erik!" He exclaimed. "How lovely to see you!"

Erik grinned, eyes bright, clearly infected by Charles' mood. "I'm glad to hear it."

Charles laughed. "Did you just get here?"

Erik nodded. "Traffic was a nightmare. Do you want me to get you new drinks?" He gestured to the nearly empty cup in Charles' hand, which dripped with orange liquid from Erik's rather physical greeting.

"Oh! Oh, yes please," Charles said, allowing himself half a second of mourning for the good punch before basking himself again in Erik's attention. Erik took the cup from Charles' hand. Their hands slid together for a moment, sending a jolt of pleasant electricity up Charles' arm.

He looked up at Erik, whom he was startled to find was staring at Charles with a slight blush in his cheeks. Before he could inquire if all was all right and move into Erik's space for further exploration into this lovely turn of events, Erik excused himself and trotted into the crowd in search of fresh punch.

Charles pursed his lips, just a little bit crestfallen. But his hope burned brighter when he thought back to the absolutely lovely shade of pink that had crept up on the handsome man's cheeks, and his eyes snagged on a mistletoe decoration hanging seductively on top of a doorway just a few feet away. Charles puttered casually towards it and lounged against the doorframe, trying to look a good mix of nonchalant and suave.

"Hey," Erik said breathlessly when he returned with two cups of punch. He thrust one in Charles' direction, and Charles happily took it, trying to work in another skin-contact maneuver. He was successful, and was beyond pleased to find Erik blushing. He was also startled to find a hint of a smirk in Erik's lips. Charles focused there.

"You know, I didn't want to come to this party, because I thought it would be an epitomic event of inane small-talk." Erik didn't let go of the punch.

"I hope I'm proving you otherwise," Charles replied, feeling himself blush as well at the prolonged contact. Erik's hands were so very large and warm. Charles was probably looking less and less nonchalant and suave by the moment, and more and more like a silly, blushing teenage boy in love. Which wasn't actually far off the mark.

Erik's head brushed against the bottom of the mistletoe decoration, and Charles' heart dropped. He'd forgotten why he was here, and was mortified when Erik looked up. The tall man's hint of a smirk exploded into a full-on grin, and Charles turned beet red to the roots.

"You are definitely proving me otherwise," Erik sounded like he was trying not to laugh. "Could you be any less subtle?"

Charles' mouth opened in shock, and Erik, an opportunist, took the opportunity.

***


End file.
